Garnet fire threatens vulnerable grove of giant sequoias

The Garnet fire burning in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County has come within three miles of a stately grove of giant sequoias.

The McKinley grove, home to roughly 200 behemoths, “is a major concern for us,” said Adrienne Freeman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service.

Approximately 1,800 firefighters have been battling the blaze, some laying down sprinkler line to shoot water onto the hulking trees, which can grow beyond 300 feet tall.

The safety measures are an effort “to keep the fire at a low intensity as it’s going through those groves.”

Flames have reached the southernmost point of the well-traveled McKinley Grove Road, which is being used “as a major containment feature,” she said. Crews have carried out strategic burns near the road to reduce fuels.

But temperatures have dipped and relative humidity has climbed, instilling hope for the trees — and turning a corner on the blaze.

“It’s a little more favorable for us to be able to work on the fire and have a little less chance for volatile fire activity,” said Sam Wu, a spokesperson for the Garnet fire. But conditions can change.

Crews installed a sprinkler system in the McKinley grove, home to roughly 200 hulking giant sequoias.

(Katie DeRosier / Pacific Southwest Forest Service)

The Garnet fire was sparked by lighting on Aug. 24.

An estimated 20% of the world’s mature giant sequoias have perished in the last decade due to severe wildfires, according to the nonprofit Save the Redwoods League. Of California’s roughly 80 giant sequoia groves, McKinley was ranked among the most vulnerable to fire, according to Ben Blom of the League, citing a report that has not been publicly released.

It is a unique grove, according to Blom, director of stewardship and restoration. For one, it’s isolated from the heart of giant sequoia territory located in the southern Sierra Nevada. And it’s accessible, allowing many visitors to pass through.

“A lot of people have had experiences in this grove,” he said. “It’s really a spectacular place.”

However, it’s also one of the few groves that has not burned in the last 10 years. Some work has been done to reduce fuels in the roughly 100-acre stretch of forest, but not all areas were treated. That makes it more vulnerable to fire. Some parts of the grove are steep and hard to access, making them difficult to treat.

“These are trees that live for 2,000 years,” he said, “and so every grove and every monarch [mature tree] within those groves is really critical to save and protect.”